Max McCance

The design of Max McCance’s furniture is inspired by nature and natural forms. From the galactic scale to the sub-atomic, he seeks to capture objects that are beautiful but which have an unease to them. He likes to challenge perceptions of what a piece of furniture is, and what it can be, in a quest to improve on beauty and to make it more interesting.

He cites oak as his favourite timber to work with. It is a difficult timber, being hard and having no tolerance, but he finds this adds to the reward of the end result. He also prefers the look of aged oak and the appeal of owning a beautiful piece which changes its appearance over time.

Max grew up in Glasgow, and as a child enjoyed making things as well as watching his father make things. He has always worked in wood but has metalworking skills, which enable him to carry out the welding required for some of his pieces.

He was influenced initially by Russian furniture maker, James Krenov. However, a turning point in his career came after attending an exhibition in Florence where he saw work by Arnaldo Pomodoro. He was inspired by this to take a similar approach but in wood.

In the 1980s, Max spent some time in Italy studying and then working and setting up his own studio in Tuscany. He returned to Scotland in the late 1980s. Today, Max works from his workshop in Scotland.